Ditching-machine.



N. F. GHAMBERLIN.

DITGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 6, 1910.

Patented Nov. '7, 1911.

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N. P. GHAMBERLIN..

DITGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILED RNA, 1910.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

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Wnnnnnumn I NN QNN mic NEWTON F. CHAMBERLIN, OF LIBERTYVILLEJILL-INOIS.

DITCHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

Application filed December 6, 1910. Serial No. 595,883.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NEWTON F. CHAMBER- LIN, citizen of the United States, residing at Libertyville, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ditching-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ditching machines, and has for its object the production of a digging apparatus for use in excavating trenches for sewers, water or gas pipes and the like, wherein a digging wheel having parts of special construction and arrangement is suitably supported in such manner that it may be adjusted up and down, for the purpose of digging trenches of different depths.

The construction and arrangement of parts characterizing this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 represents a side view of all parts assembled. This view is partly sectional in order to disclose certain elements relating to the movable bearings. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the digging wheel. The section is taken on the line mac of Fig. 1, and the scale of drawing is enlarged to render the illustration clearer. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. 4 is a sectional View of part of the box, and shows the curved peripheral apron and its adjusting members. Fig. 5 is a section on an enlarged scale on the broken line zz of Fig. l, and shows one method of securing the blades to the peripheral inclines of the digging wheel. Fig. 6 is a front view.

Each part is designated by a number used only for that part throughout the drawings and description.

The lower and box portion 1 has longitudinal shoes resting upon the ground, and upon which the whole may be drawn along. Above the box portion is an upper frame 3.

As best shown in Fig. 1, and extending from the top of the frame 3 into the shoes, are the vertical hoisting and lowering screws 4 and 5. At the top, the screws are provided with toothed wheels 6 and 7, and between those two wheels and meshin with them is a third wheel 8. A lever 9 1s pivotally secured to the axis of wheel 8, and has a toothed pawl 10 arranged to be brought into and out of engagement with the teeth of wheel 8, by rod 11 connecting the pawl with lever 12 having handpiece 13. When the handle of lever 9 is grasped together with handpiece 13 the pawl engages wheel 8, and, it is evident that the vertical screws may be turned in the same direction either way. The ofiice of the vertical screws is to raise and lower the bearings for the trunnions ofthe digging wheel. One of the bearings is shown and designated 15. The other bearing, not shown, is in all respects of like construction and is located on the other side of the digging wheel.

In Fig. 3 there is shown a sectional portion, the section being taken on the broken line g y of Fig. 1, and the position of the two screws with relation to one of the bearings is illustrated. The bearings support the trunnions 16 and 17 of the digging wheel, the wheel having usually suitable internal bracing. The side plates of the wheel are not necessarily made in one piece, but may be made up of more than one portion such as the upper and lower portions 18 and 19 shown in Fig. 2. The sides of the wheel are entirely covered by the side plates on both sides, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. The periphery of the Wheel 20, is wedgeshaped, the apex of the angle being outwardly, as best shown in- Figs. 2 and 5, and the inclined sides of the peripheral portion extend somewhat beyond the sides of the wheel forming the overhanging edges 23 and 24 that will be again mentioned.

Extending along theoutside of the box 1,

and supported by the box, are the wings or side aprons 25 and 26, the office of which is to intercept the dirt that falls from the wheel, and to direct it outwardly from the line of the trench.

To draw the assembled parts along upon the ground, there is provided a block 27 secured to the shoes at the front end, and a cable 28 passing over the block. The pull of the cable causes the projections 29 of the blades 21 to enter the earth, and, as the blades are placed diagonally upon the pe ripheral inclines, as best shown in Fig. 1, each blade as it ascends within box 1 in the direction of the arrow acts as a bucket'and raises a quantity of dirt above the top of the box. The wheel is itself revolved by chain 30 engaging sprocket wheel 31 on the transverse shaft 32. The shaft is driven by the pulleys 33 and 34: that are turned by means of cables 35 and 36. The shaft 32 is journaled in the upper ends of arms 37 and 38, and, it will be understood, that those arms are pivoted at their lower ends to box 1, whereby the sprocket wheel may be swung toward or from the digging wheel. In that way the chain 30 may be tightened or released. The chain passes entirely around the digging wheel between the pairs of blades 21, and, it has been found in practice that the relatively great length of chain in contact with the periphery of the digging wheel is more than ample for the transmission of the necessary power to revolve the digging wheel. After the sprocket has been swung upon the arms 37 and 88, away from the digging wheel and the chain 30 sufficiently tightened, accomplished usually by the exertion of a preliminary pull on cables 35 and 36, the position of the sprocket is positively fixed by clamping the curved side exten sions 39 and 40 of pivoted arms 87 and 38 to the upper frame by means of the U-clamps 41 and 42, best shown in Fig. 6. One of the curved side extensions is shown in Fig. 1, and both appear in Fig. 8, in which figure it is shown that the side extensions 39 and 40 are provided with roughened or serrated inner surfaces to engage the U-clamps.

In Fig. 1 the curved broken line above the digging wheel represents its possible highest position, and the curved line below the wheel indicates the lowest posltlon to which the digging wheel may be adjusted. The bearings pass up and down through the box 1 in the extensions 4L3 and 44: of the box and shoes, best shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The highest and lowest points of the bearings are also indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1. I

To enable the blades to retain the excavated dirt until they arrive above the box 1, there is provided within the front end of the box, a curved apron 45, supported and adjusted by screws 46 and 47, passing out through the end of the box. Whatever the position of the digging wheel, the apron 4:5 may be suitably placed to enable the blades to retain the dirt until they reach their upper and relatively inverted positions. The dirt falls from the wedge-shaped periphery of the digging wheel upon the side aprons 25 and 26, and in order that all the descending dirt may be intercepted, the aprons 25 and 26 are extended toward the wheel suificiently to pass under the overhanging edges 23 and 24., as best shown in Fig.

It will be understood from Figs. 1, 3 and 6, that the dirt dug by the blades is prevented from falling out sidewise prematurely, by the sides of box 1, that are arranged near the path of the blades and retain the dirt upon the wedge-shaped periphery of the wheel until the blades rise above the box 1.

A preferred method of securing the blades upon the peripheral inclines of the digging wheel, is illustrated in Fig. 5. The bolts 18 and 4.9 pass through the flanges of the blades and through the inclined sides of the wheel rim, and are secured by nuts on the inside. The nut may be reached and tightened from the inside, as, in practice, the wheel is very large, sometimes twentyfive feet in diameter and of ample width to permit the movements of a man entering by way of manholes 22.

During the operation of this invention, owing to the pull of drawing cable 28, there is a reactional effect upon the digging wheel, and, it is not desired that such reac tion shall be entirely thrown upon the hoisting screws and the chain and sprocket wheel. To transfer the stated reaction to the frame of this invention, vertical guide posts 50 and 51 are arranged in contact with the ends of the bearings as shown in Fig. 1. It will be understood that while the amount of dirt excavated by each blade is not excessive, and, the strain upon each blade never great, the sum total of the dirt re moved during one revolution of the large digging wheel with many blades is considerable.

Having now described this invention, and explained its mode of operation, what I claim is 1. In a ditching machine, a digging wheel having a wedge-shaped periphery, and triangular blades secured to the sides of the said wedge-shaped periphery diagonally, the blades upon opposite sides of the said periphery being separated from each other.

2. In a ditching machine, the combination with a frame having a lower box por tion constructed to be drawn along upon the surface of the ground, the said box having openings in the top and bottom, a digging wheel arranged within said frame and box, blades attached to said wheel, the sides of the blades being arranged to pass near the inner surfaces of the sides of the box whereby earth is kept upon the blades until they pass above the box, means constructed to support the wheel rotatively and to raise or lower the wheel through said openings in the top and bottom of the box, and means constructed and arranged to revolve said digging wheel.

3. In a ditching machine, a digging wheel having its axis horizontal and constructed with inclined peripheral portions having triangular plate blades secured thereto, the said inclined peripheral portions being constructed and arranged to meet and form a relatively narrow fiat annular chain-seat extending entirely around said wheel.

l. In a ditching machine, the combination with a frame having a lower box portion constructed to be drawn along upon the surface of the ground, the said box having openings in the top and bottom, a digging wheel arranged within said frame and box, blades attached to said wheel, the sides of the blades being arranged to pass near the inner surfaces of the sides of the box whereby earth is kept upon the blades until they pass above the box, means constructed to support the wheel rotatively and to raise or lower the wheel through said openings in the top and bottom of the box, side aprons supported by the frame and extending downwardly and outwardly beyond the sides of said box portion, and means constructed and arranged to revolve said digging wheel.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NEWTON F. CHANIBERLIN. Witnesses:

HoRAoE R. GEORGE, EDWIN GUTHRIE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

